Terpene Aromatherapy Usage & Benefits
Some of your favorite smells, like a crisp winter pine, a clean citrus, or a sweet floral actually come from the same family of compounds. Referred to as terpenes, these compounds create potent scents that actually play an important part in nature.
Research suggests terpenes can benefit us by improving our immune system function, reducing inflammation, and even providing antioxidants. With so many great benefits, there’s no question that terpenes could be a promising part of any self care routine.
Here are some of the great ways terpene aromatherapy can help you, and tips on how to incorporate it into your day!
Terpenes are usually associated with cannabidiol, also known as CBD. However, what many people don’t know is that terpenes give a wide variety of plants their unique smells. For example, basil, mint, and lavender all have strong terpenes, just like the cannabis plant, that make them so well known for their strong scents.
Terpenes help plants throughout their life cycles by doing things like attracting pollinators and keeping predators away, as well as helping plants naturally repair themselves from damage. There are hundreds of different types of terpenes discovered so far, and scientists have found a myriad of ways they could potentially benefit humans.
Benefits of Terpene Aromatherapy
In the modern wellness world, aromatherapy and essential oils have become major trends. And these are more than just buzzwords. Essential oils can have a lot of different health benefits, like helping you relax or boosting your energy. There’s also some evidence showing physical benefits like pain relief when essential oils are applied topically in creams, gels, or oils.
You may not have realized that terpenes are what give essential oils their strong, pleasing scents. Rather than purchasing essential oils that contain terpenes, you can purchase these terpenes themselves to mix into oils, skin care products, and even food and beverages.
Aromatherapy allows you to benefit from specific smells terpenes give off, and has actually been used by holistic health practitioners for decades. It works through this process: Aromatic molecules in the air, created by a diffuser, interact with receptors in the brain that seem to create a response in the central nervous system.
People who have used terpene aromatherapy have reported positive physical effects, such as reduced pain and soreness, reduction of headaches and migraines, less inflammation, and improved digestion. Mental benefits have also been reported, like better sleep, less stress and anxiety, and higher energy levels. Some people have even claimed aromatherapy has helped with allergies and depression.
Once you identify what benefits you’re looking to get from terpenes, you can easily find the right ones for you. Plus, learning how to use terpenes is fairly easy.
How to Use Terpenes for Aromatherapy?
One of the most common ways to use terpenes for aromatherapy is by mixing it with an oil and adding a few drops into a diffuser or spritzer. When mixed with water, you only need a little bit for the scent to spread through the air throughout the day.
You may want to use just one terpene scent in your diffuser or spritzer, or you might choose to mix a few different ones to create a custom blend. There are a variety of botanically-derived terpenes available, and different scents will provide different benefits.
For example, common anti-anxiety terpenes include Limonene and Pinene. Limonene gives off a lemony, citrus scent, while Pinene gives off a classic fresh pine smell. Often these are used together to create a relaxing anti-anxiety blend.
Linalool is another very popular terpene. It’s very well known for the scent it gives to lavender plants, and is a reason that lavender essential oil is used so often to help people relax and to sleep better. Linalool has soothing and calming characteristics, so it’s a great choice when you’re trying to unwind.
You can often find out which benefits different terpenes will provide by researching the terpenes that give your favorite essential oils their smells. Terpene sellers will also be able to tell you which ones work well together and the different benefits you can get from individual terpenes along with unique combinations.
Finding the right terpenes for you can give you a great aromatherapy experience that is customized to your unique needs. Don’t hesitate to give it a try.
